Form letter for incorporation in alpha molded base



Oct. 4, 1932. L, CARGILL 1,880,792

FORM LETTER FOR INCORPORATION IN A MOLDED BASE Filed NOV. 27, 1951 Mix .ZJZCa? ZZZ, Z; (2W

ATTORNEY WITNESS:

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 v UNITED STATES LOUIS H. GARGILL, OF D ENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MICHAEL DEN TING, OF DENVER, COLORADO FORM LETTER FOR INCORPORATION 111 A Monnni) BASE Application filed November .27, 1931. Serial No. 577,633.

The object of the invention is to provide a letter construction which may be readily incorporated in a molded base such as cast ce ment, or the like, so that marker stones may be readily produced to be employed as inserts in pavements, or as weather-proof signposts or the like; to provide a letter for the purpose indicated adapted to be produced by a stamping process, so that no skill shall be necessary in the production of a uniformly lettered sign or block; and to provide a device of the kind indicated which is generally of simple form and susceptible of cheap manufacture.

With this object in view, the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing but to which embodiment the invention is not to be restricted further than is imposed by the annexed claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a street sign constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of one form of letter employed in carrying out the invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing the method of mounting in a mold, prior to casting, the'form of letter indicated in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of still another modified form of letter.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional View of a portion of the base in which is mounted a letter of the form shown in Figure 6, the plane of the section being in the plane of the attaching tabs or ears.

Figure 8 is an elevational view of an embossed letter.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the plane,

indicated by the line 99 of Figure 10.

Figure 10 is asectional view on the plane indicated by the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the method of mounting in place a letter such as that illustrated in Figure 10.

Figure '12 is an elevational view of a solid letter such as will be surfaces.

Figure 13 is a sectio used in street or floor nal view of a section of a cast base in which the form of letter shown in Figure 12 is mounted.

A sign constructed inventionmay employ a letter of either the raised or depressed ty in accordance with the pe, or the flush type in which the exposed faceof the letter lies flush with the face of the base.

the invention illustrat 6 and 7 the letter 10 is of the depressed type,

In that form of ed in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,

side use.

That form of letter indicated at 10 is cross sectionally angular or trough shaped 2111Cl1S struck from sheet metal, belng provided on its longitudinal edges with downwardly extending ton with angularly disposed feet 14. In incorgues or tabs 12 formed porating the letter with a base, it is laid face down againstthe bott om of the mold 15, the

several letters constituting any matter to be displayed being suitably arranged on the bottom of the mold, so that the material of the base may be poured on them, when they will remain anchored to the base after the latter has set, by reason of the tongues 12 and their attached feet 14. In this form, the bounding edges of the letters will lie flush with the top face of the base.

Wires such as indicated at 16, may be stretched across the m old prior to casting the base, spanning the letters constituting any one word or sign indicia, so their relative positions may be maintained while the base is being poured.

The wires may be greased or lubricated prior to pouring the base sothat they may be withdra set, or the sides of the wn after the base has mold may be madedemount-able, so that they may be removed after the base has set and the protruding extremities of the wires out off flush with the side edges of the form The channeled or d ed base.

epressed form of letter 10 may be such as that indicated at 17 in Figures 6 and 7. This form of letter is preferably cross sectionally angular as shown but the attaching tabs or tongues, instead of being made integral extensions of the letter, are applied after the letter is formed, these attaching tabs consisting merely of narrow strips 18 extending through perforations formed in the web portions of the letter adjacent the bottom of the channel. In' this form, the strips 18 will lie embedded in the base when cast, so that the letters will remain firmly anchored therein.

The letter instead of being of the depressed or channel form may be ofthe embossed or raised form as indicated at 19 in Figures 9, 10 and 11. This form of letter is substantially like the form indicated at 10 with the exception that it is the reverse of the latter, so that it is disposed with the angle of the channel beyond the face of the base 20. This form of letter, however, is provided with tabs 12 having feet 14 which are identical with the tabs and feet of the form of letter illustrated at 10. In incorporating these letters in the base, they are laid down on top of wire strands 21, so that their feet rest on the latter and the material of the base is poured into the mold 22 to fill the latter and to enclose the tabs and feet. The wires 21 may be removed as suggested with reference to the form shown in Figure 5, or the mold may have demount-, able sides which will permit removal of the cast base and the subsequent cutting of protruding ends of the wires.

Either the depressed form of letter or the embossed form is highly acceptable for signposts or wall surfaces but it is not acceptable for roadways, because the depressed form will act as a trap for dirt while the raised form will be subject to distortion by loads passing over the roadway. Consequently, where it is desired to employ the invention in connection with road surfaces, so that appropriate information or instructions are to be given therefrom, a solid form of letter such as indicated at 23 is employed. This letter may be either cast or made in any other acceptable way but preferably has its bounding edges beveled downwardly as indicated at 24, so that when the base 25 is cast, a cross sectionally and dove-tailed slot will be'provided in which the letter will be set. The letter 23 being solid, will not be subject to distortion or will a sign formed from it be obliterated by passing tra'fl'ic.

Letters constituting the invention may be formed of any acceptable material susceptible of being formed as indicated, or may be of differently colored metals,'so that a sign may contain contrasting colors if such is desired for decorative purposes. 7

If desired, the beveled edges indicated at 24 on the form of letter shown at23 may be omitted except at specified points, so that instead of having a continuous beveled edge bounding each letter there may be only spaced lips with their side edges beveled. This of course will function the same way as the beveled edges 24.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

A sign comprising a molded base, and a letter formed from sheet metal bent to a cross-sectionally angular form, said letter being provided at its edges with anchoring tabs embedded in the base, the longitudinal edges of the letter being in the plane of the face of the basebut the remainder of the letter being depressed from the plane of the face of the base, the letter through-out its extent being backed up with the material of the base.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

- LOUIS H. CARGILL. 

